Ratha Yatra

Ratha Yatra “The famous cart festival of Odisha”

Ratha Yatra is a Hindu festival associated with the god Jagannath held at Puri in the Indian state Odisha. Mostly on Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya (second day in bright fortnight of Ashadha month) is famous festival occurs. Millions of people gathered at Puri to celebrate this holy festival of Lord Jagannath.

In this festival Jagannath visit to Gundicha Temple (Mausi Maa Temple) Mausi Maa the aunt of Lord Jagannath. This temple located near Balagandi Chaka, Puri at a small distance from Sree Mandir. In Ratha Yatra, the deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken out in a procession to Gundicha Temple and remain there for nine days after that they return back to Sree Mandir. This is the famous Ratha Yatra festival.

As all deities travel from Sree Mandir to Gundicha Temple on big richly decorated chariots or carts, so people also called this festival “Cart Festival”. The Ratha or carts themselves are some approximately 45 feet (14 m) high and are pulled by the thousands of pilgrims those come to see and participate in Ratha Yatra festival.

According to Hindu religion Lord Jaganath is one avatar of lord Vishnu. He is very important for Hindu believers. Thousands of Hindu people worship lord Jagannath and want to see him on chariot, it is believed that by seeing lord Jagannath on chariot people get divine experience and release their all stress and pain. Lord Jagannath helps hem and bless them to fight against every difficulty of their life.

Tourists in Ratha Yatra Festival

Millions of people from all over the world are coming to Puri on Ratha Yatra Festival to see and become a part of this divine festival and to get the spiritual experience of the energetic atmosphere of Puri on the time of Ratha Yatra Festival.